Light reflecting member



Oct. 16, 1934. N, TANQUARY LIGHT REFLEGTINC- MEMBER Filed Dec. 9, 1930 Patented Oct. 16, 1934 UNITED STATES 1,977,023 LIGHT REFLECTING MEMBER Neal Tanquary, Los Angeles, Caliiil 7 Application December 9, 1930, Serial No. 501,022 f 6 Claims.

My invention relates to a light reflecting panel and has for its principal object, the provision of a panel that maybe shaped and colored so as to represent flames, a pennant or flag, or windblown hair, a scarf, veil or ribbons and to construct the side faces of said panel so that when the same is moved forwardly or-when the panel is stationary and persons pass the same, the changing lights and shadows reflected by the surfaces of the panel will produce an optical illusion to observers and produce animated effects such as the movement of flames from a torch or the like or the effects of windblown hair, veils,-ribbons, flags or pennants.

A further object of my invention is, to provide a reflecting panel that may be advantageously employed as a part of an attractive emblem for the radiators of motor vehicles.

A further object of my invention is, to provide a reflecting panel having surfaces that are curved and also provided with angularly disposed faces that reflect light rays and produce. shadows and thereby bring about the desired effects.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, my invention consists in certain novel features of construction and arrangement of parts that will hereinafter be more fully described and claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is an elevational View of a radiator ornament provided with a panel embodying my inven- 30. tion and which panel represents the windblown flame from a torch.

Fig. 2 is a top plan View of the panel. Fig. 3 is an enlarged cross section taken on the line 33 of Fig. 1. 35, Figs. 4, 5 and 6 are cross sectional views similar to Fig. 3 and showing various modified forms of the light ray reflecting panel.

Referring by numerals to the acompanying drawing which illustrates a practical embodiment of my invention, 10 designates an elongated plate or panel that may be formed of any suitable ma terial, preferably metal, and which is shaped to simulate a body of flame that issues from a torch representing member 11 and which latter may be supported by the image or representation of a human figure. This figure may be mounted on a suitable base 12 and the latter may be conveniently secured to the radiator cap of a motor vehicle.

The panel 10 is shaped so as to produce undulatory side faces both longitudinally and vertically and formed in said side faces are longitudinally disposed recesses 13, which are curved lengthwise to conform with the curvature of each other and with the upper and lower edges of the 5 panel and said curved recesses are substantially V-shape in cross section so as to produce a pair of oppositely arranged inclined faces 14.

V Where the panel is designed to represent a body of flame from a torch or the like, the'recesses 13 gradually taperin width and depth toward both ends and thus,.the inclined faces 14 gradually decrease in width both ends. v

In Fig. 3 I have shown both side faces of the panel provided with recesses 13 and each recess having a pair of, oppositely arranged inclined faces 14. I

In Fig. 4 a modified construction is illustrate whereinthe side faces of the panel are provided with recesses 15 and adjacent to certain of these recesses are outwardly projecting, ribs 16 that are substantially V-shape incross section, thereby producing externally arranged inclined faces 17. If desired certain of the faces 17 may occupy thesame angular planes with and constitute continuations of certainof the flat inclined faces of the recesses 15. In Fig. 5, both side faces of the panel are provided with short longitudinally disposed recesses 18 that are substantially V-shape in cross section from their centers, I toward to provide a pair "of oppositely arranged inclined faces and disposed between these recesses are outwardly projecting ribs 19, that are substantially V-shape in cross section so as to provide a pair of outwardly presented inclined faces.

In the modified construction illustrated in Fig. 6, the panel 10 is provided with short longitudinally disposed slots 20 having flat inclined faces 21 formed at their edges and between the slots short longitudinally disposed ribs 22 that are substantially V-shape in cross section, are formed 3 on the side faces of the panel.

It will be understood that in the modified constructions illustrated in Figs. 4, 5 and 6, the grooves, ribs and slots extend lengthwise of the panel and are substantially parallel with each other and with the upper and lower edges of the panel.

In order to increase the reflecting or brilliant effect of the panel, the angular faces of the grooves and ribs may be highly polished or plated with gold, chromium, nickel or the like, to produce surfaces having a high degree of reflection or said inclined surfaces may be colored with different shades of red, yellow, blue or green or combinations of these colors.

Instead of being shaped to represent a body If like, or articles of wearing apparel and personal adornment, such as scarfs, veils, feathers, ribbons and the like.

Where a reflecting panel of my improved construction moves past an observer or if the observer moves past a stationary panel, the changing lights and shadows on the sides of the panel and the reflected rays of light from the various angular faces, produces an optical illusion, so as to give the effect of animation or movement of tlie panel itself and which effect is highly desirable in motor vehicle radiator cap ornaments and in various decorative articles as well as gaze attracting members used in connection with advertising novelties.

While I have shown and described the panel or member as being curved lengthwise and vertically, it will be understood that my invention contemplates a panel or the like having substantially flat side faces and further, the depressions or grooves and the outwardly projecting ribs may be curved in cross section instead of being formed with the angular faces, as illustrated and described.

Thus it will be seen that I have provided a reflecting panel that is relatively simple in construction, inexpensive of manufacture and very effective in performing the functions for which it is intended.

It will be understood that minor changes in the size, form and construction of the various part of my improved light reflecting member may be made and substitutedfor those herein shown and described Without departing from the spirit of .my invention, the scope of which is set forth in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention: 7

l. A light reflecting member, comprising an elongated opaque plate having substantially parelongated vertically disposed opaque plate having side faces that are waved both longitudinally and vertically and both side faces being provided with a plurality of substantially parallel longitudinally disposed grooves and each groove having a pair of oppositely inclined light reflecting faces.

3. A light reflecting memiber, comprising an elongated vertically disposed opaque plate having side faces that are waved both longitudinally and vertically and both side faces being provided with a plurality of substantially parallel longitudinally disposed grooves, each groove having a pair of oppositely inclined light reflecting faces, each of which grooves gradually decreases in width and depth toward its ends and the end portions of each groove extending past the ends of adjacent grooves.

4. A light reflecting member, comprising an elongated vertically disposed opaque plate having side faces that are waved both longitudinally and vertically, said wavedside faces being provided with .a plurality of longitudinally disposed grooves, each having a pair of oppositely inclined light reflecting surfaces.

5. A light reflecting member, comprising an elongated vertically disposed opaque plate having side faces that are waved both longitudinally and vertically and each'side surface being broken by a plurality of pairs of oppositely inclined light reflecting surfaces said pairs of surfaces extending lengthwiseof the plate substantially parallel with each other and with the upper end lower edges of said plate.

6. A light reflecting member, comprising an elongated vertically disposed opaque plate having side faces that are waved both longitudinally and vertically, each side surface being broken by a plurality of pairs of oppositely inclined light reflecting surfaces said pairs of surfaces extending lengthwise of the plate substantially parallel with each other and with the upper and lower edges of said'plate and which pairs of inclined lightreflecting surfaces are distinctively colored with respect to each other.

NEAL TANQUARY. 

